Antennoluprops bremeri , gen. nov., spec. nov. from Madagascar

SPIXIANA
30
1
29–32
München, 1. Mai 2007
ISSN 0341–8391
Antennoluprops bremeri, gen. nov., spec. nov. from Madagascar,
with remarkable male antennal and tibial morphology
(Insecta, Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Lupropini)
Wolfgang Schawaller*
Schawaller, W. (2007): Antennoluprops bremeri, gen. nov., spec. nov. from Madagascar, with remarkable antennal and tibial morphology (Insecta, Coleoptera,
Tenebrionidae, Lupropini). – Spixiana 30/1: 29-32
Antennoluprops, gen. nov. (type species Antennoluprops bremeri, spec. nov.) from
Madagascar is described. It can be recognized by a distinctly modified, periscopelike antennomere 5 in males and by sexualdimorphic tibiae. It is related to the genus
Enicmosoma Gebien, 1922 because of the 10-segmented antenna with a 2-segmented
club. A second species, known only by the female holotype, transferred from
Anaedus Blanchard, 1845 is included: Antennoluprops andohahelae (Ferrer, 1998)
comb. nov.
Wolfgang Schawaller, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Rosenstein 1,
D-70191 Stuttgart; e-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
During a recent visit in the Coleoptera collections
of the Zoologische Staatssammlung in Munich I
found among unidentified material a single specimen
of a small tenebrionid, which, according to the labels,
has been sifted in degraded forests in northern
Madagascar. This specimen was immediately conspicuous because of a very remarkable and unusual
morphology of the antenna with a dilatated and
modified antennomere 5. After a closer examination,
it turned out to represent a new genus, Antennoluprops, gen. nov., of the tribe Lupropini Ardoin, 1958
within the subfamily Lagriinae Latreille, 1825, being
described herein. Anaedus andahahelae Ferrer, 1998,
unfortunately known only by a single female, is
transferred as a second species to Antennoluprops,
gen. nov.
Besides this taxon, the tenebrionid tribe Lupropini is represented on Madagascar by the genera
Coxelinus Fairmaire, 1869 (endemic, 7 species on
Madagascar, see Ardoin 1956), Enicmosoma Gebien,
1922 (widespread, 9 species on Madagascar, see
Ardoin 1958), Luprops Hope, 1833 (widespread,
2 species on Madagascar), and Microcalcar Pic, 1925
(endemic, 2 species on Madagascar). The new genus
Antennoluprops, gen. nov. is more closely related to
the genus Enicmosoma, mainly because of the 10segmented antenna with a 2-segmented club. Also
the genus Terametus Motschulsky, 1869 from the
Cape Province in South Africa seems to be a close
relative, which was redescribed recently by Schawaller (2007). It possesses, however, a 11-segmented
antenna with a 3-segmented club.
Material and methods
MZUF Museo Zoologico “La Specola” Firenze
SMNS Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart
ZSM Zoologische Staatssammlung München
The photographs were prepared by using a Leica
DFC 320 digital camera on a Leica MZ16 APO microscope, subsequently processed by Auto-Montage
(Synchroscopy) software.
* Contributions to Tenebrionidae no. 62. – For no. 61 see: African Entomology 15: 2007.
29
2
1 mm
1
3
4
Figs 1-3. Antennoluprops bremeri, gen. nov., spec. nov. 1. M holotype from dorsal. 2. M holotype from ventral. 3. W
paratype from dorsal.
Fig. 4. Antennoluprops andohahelae (Ferrer, 1998), comb. nov., W holotype from dorsal.
Antennoluprops, gen. nov.
Type species: Antennoluprops bremeri, spec. nov. by
present designation.
Etymology. Combination of Luprops, the nominate
genus of Lupropini and “antenna” because of the
remarkable antennal morphology in males.
Diagnosis. Body length 2.5-2.8 mm. Eyes oval in
lateral view but not prominent, not narrowed by
genae; antenna consists of 10 short and thick antennomeres, in males antennomere 5 dilated at the
30
medial side and thus periscope-like (Fig. 5), in both
sexes antennomere 3 not prolonged, terminal 2 antennomeres forming an indistinct club. Lateral
margin of pronotum unbordered but slightly sinuated, surface convex, lateral parts flattened. Scutellum visible. Wings present. Elytral surface with irregular punctation without rows or striae. Legs
distinctly sexually dimorphic: in males anterior
tibia with distinct excavation at the tip, medial and
posterior tibiae medially sinuated and with an internal hook at the tip, in females all tibia simple and
not modified.
0.5 mm
9
8
6
5
7
13
10
12
11
14
Figs 5-14. Antennoluprops bremeri, gen. nov., spec. nov. 5. Right M antenna from dorsal. 6. Right W antenna from
dorsal. 7. Right M anterior leg from dorsal. 8. Left M anterior tibia from external. 9. Right W anterior tibia from
dorsal. 10. Right M middle leg from dorsal. 11. Right M posterior leg from dorsal. 12. Right W posterior tibia from
dorsal. 13. Aedeagus. 14. Ovipositor.
Remarks. Gebien (1921) has compiled a key to the
species of the African genera of “Heterotarsinae”,
but still without the genus Enicmosoma Gebien, 1922,
being described one year later. This genus was revised by Ardoin (1958). Antennoluprops, gen. nov.
and Enicmosoma (occuring on Madagascar and elsewhere in Africa) share the 10-segmented antenna
with a 2-segmented club, considered herein as a
synapomorphic character. However, the antennomeres are usually longer in most species of Enicmosoma (except in the monotypic subgenus Enicmonota
Ardoin, 1958) and show no sexualdimorphic modifications. Additionally, the eyes in Enicmosoma are
round and prominent or even conical, the pronotal
disc is convex until the lateral margin and not flattened at the sides, and the legs are not modified in
males.
Other genera of the Lupropini (for example
Anaedus Blanchard, 1845 and Luprops Hope, 1833)
probably belong to a different evolutionary line
because of the kidney-like eyes, longer shape of the
antennomeres with distal grooves of sensillae, an-
tenna filiform and 11-segmented without any club,
tibiae with short spurs, longer tarsi, etc. It should be
mentioned here, that in Anaedus spinicornis Kaszab,
1973 from Nepal, the same (!) antennomere 5 in males
is also modified, namely with a spine-like prolongation.
Antennoluprops bremeri, spec. nov.
Figs 1-3, 5–14
Types. Holotype: M, N Madagascar, 5 km E Andapa
Lembonibona, 800-1000 m, sifted in degraded forest,
2.III.1996, leg. J. Janák & P. Moravec (ZSM). – Paratypes:
2MM, E Madagascar, Moramanga, Andasibe, Anevoka,
Maromiza Forest, 950-1150 m, 27.XI.-16.XII.2006, leg. J.
Berg & D. Bartsch (SMNS); 1W, NE Madagascar, Toamasina, Station Ecologique Mandraka, 20 km W Moramanga, 1200 m, 2.XI.2001, leg. R. Schuh (SMNS).
Etymology. Named in honor of Prof. Dr. H. J. Bremer
(Wellingholzhausen, Germany), who recognized this
taxon from his collection already 1999 as new.
31
Description
Body length 2.7-2.8 mm. Dorsal and ventral side
dark ferrugineous without metallic shine; pronotal
lateral margin and all appendages lighter; dorsal
and ventral surface punctured, punctures without
microsetae, surface between punctures shining
(Figs 1-3). Head with slightly denser punctation than
on pronotum, genae somewhat swollen but not dilated, between genae with weak transverse impression, anterior margin of clypeus straight and without
excavation or other modifications; eyes oval in lateral view but not prominent, not narrowed by genae,
consisting of about 28 ommatidia; maxillary palps
with large triangular terminal segment; antenna
consists of 10 short and thick antennomeres, shape
of the antennomeres in both sexes see Figs 5-6, in
males antennomere 5 dilated at the medial side and
thus periscope-like (Fig. 5), in both sexes antennomere 3 not prolonged, terminal 2 antennomeres
forming an indistinct club, all antennomeres with
similar acute setae but without denser concentrations
of other sensillae. Pronotum widest in the middle,
anterior and posterior margin unbordered, lateral
margin unbordered but slightly sinuated, anterior
and posterior corners marked but not acute, surface
convex, lateral parts flattened, surface with irregular
punctation, punctures of similar size as on head and
on elytra, before basal margin with a distinct transverse row of punctures, propleura with larger but
sparser punctation, prosternal process short, metasternal punctation laterally larger than medially.
Scutellum visible. Wings present. Elytra widest near
the base, lateral margin to be seen in dorsal view on
its total length, surface with irregular punctation
without rows or striae, epipleures with similar
punctation, surface of propleures somewhat uneven.
Ventrites laterally with larger punctation than medially, surface somewhat uneven, terminal visible
ventrite unbordered, membranes between ventrites
not visible. Legs distinctly sexually dimorphic: in
males anterior tibia with distinct excavation at the
tip (Figs 7-8), medial and posterior tibiae medially
sinuated and with an internal hook at the tip (Figs
10-11), in females all tibiae simple and not modified
(Figs 9, 12); in both sexes tibiae without external
keels, tibial spurs not visible, all tarsomeres short.
Aedeagus (Fig. 13) with thick and long basal piece
and small unmodified joint parameres. Ovipositor
(Fig. 14) with coxite lobe 4 long and digitate, gonostyles short and attached apically, joint coxites
shorter than paraproct.
32
Antennoluprops andohahelae (Ferrer, 1998),
comb. nov.
Fig. 4
Re-examined type material. Holotype: M, SE Madagascar, NW Fort Dauphin, Andohahela Reserve, 600 m,
25.V.1991, leg. S. Taiti, L. Bartolozzi & C. Raharimina
(MZUF).
Remarks. Ferrer (1998) described Anaedus andohahelae based upon a single female, which surely does
not belong to the genus Anaedus mainly because of
completely different antennae and other characters
(see diagnosis of Antennoluprops, gen. nov.). Although males of this taxon are as yet lacking and
thus the male antennal peculiarities are unknown,
it very probably represents a second species of Antennoluprops and is formally transferred herein from
Anaedus to Antennoluprops. Besides a slightly smaller size (body length 2.5 mm), the differences in the
shape and punctation of pronotum and elytra (compare Figs 3-4) are considered as species-specific,
compared with the female of Antennoluprops bremeri,
spec. nov. The type localities of both species are
situated widely disjunct (N, NE and SE Madagascar,
respectively).
Acknowledgements
For the kind hospitality in the Zoologische Staatssammlung Munich, loan of material and editorial work
with this paper I thank Dr. Martin Baehr. Rudolf Schuh
(Vienna) kindly presented the paratype of Antennoluprops bremeri, spec. nov. to the Museum Stuttgart. Dr.
Luca Bartolozzi (Firenze) promtly loaned the holotype
of Anaedus andohahelae Ferrer. Johannes Reibnitz (Stuttgart) provided substantial help in preparing the photographs.
References
Ardoin, P. (1956). Le genre Coxelinus Fairmaire (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae, Heterotarsini). – Le Naturaliste Malgache 8: 51-63.
– – (1958). Contribution à l’étude des Tenebrionides
Malgaches. Le genre Enicmosoma Gebien. – Bulletin
de l’Académie Malgache NS 35 (1957): 59-77
Ferrer, J. (1998). Contribution à la connaissance des
Tenebrionidae de Madagascar (Insecta, Coleoptera). – Entomofauna 19: 353-404
Gebien, H. (1921). Die Tenebrioniden Westafrikas. – Archiv für Naturgeschichte 86 (A, 6): 1-256
Schawaller, W. (2007). Redescription of the monotypic
genus Terametus Motschulsky, 1869 from South
Africa and its taxonomic position (Coleoptera,
Tenebrionidae, Lupropini). – African Entomology
15 (in press).